The George marks Women’s History Month with new literary partnership

InterContinental Edinburgh The George is celebrating Women’s History Month by launching a new partnership with female-owned bookstore, Rare Birds Book Shop, to encourage guests to explore Scotland’s female literary greats.

The partnership will pay homage to the hotel’s impressive literary ties and its most-famous former guest, writer Susan Ferrier, with a new experience: ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’.

The package offers guests, who book a stay from 8^th March 2022 (IWD), the chance to add an accompanying book bundle from trailblazing Scottish female authors, hand-selected by Rare Birds Books.

Included in the ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’ is Jackie Kay, Scotland’s former Makar, with her debut novel Trumpet, a fictionalised chronicle of the life and death of transgender jazz artist Billy Tipton; quintessentially Edinburgh author, Muriel Spark and her story of a glamorous outspoken teacher, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie; as well as Susan Ferrier’s Marriage.

Susan Ferrier, who resided at the hotel when it was a collection of luxury Georgian townhouses in the 18^th century, is widely referred to as Scotland’s answer to Jane Austin.

Her debut book, Marriage, was published in 1818 and tells the story of an English heiress, who elopes with a handsome Scot to live in a castle in the Highlands. Characters in the novel were based on real acquaintances she met during her time at The George, such as iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns and author Sir Walter Scott.

Books will be beautifully packaged and ready for guests in their room on arrival alongside a charming booklet with insider information on each book and its author. The package includes room, bed and breakfast and prices start from £289.

Rare Birds Book Shop, located in the heart of Stockbridge, is on a mission to champion women’s writing, by helping enthusiasts to discover great books by great women. Founded in 2017 it has built a vibrant community of booklovers around the world through its book club.

Rachel Wood, (above), founder and owner of Rare Birds Book Shop, said: “There’s nothing we love more than helping readers discover writing by women, and what better way to help visitors discover Edinburgh’s rich literary history than by shining the spotlight on three brilliant Scottish writers, whose work has captured the imagination of readers around the world.” 

Kieran Quinn, Hotel General Manager at InterContinental Edinburgh The George, said: “We are so proud of our historical ties to some of Scotland’s greatest literary experts, so it felt only right that this International Women’s Day, we launched a new offering for guests to delve back into the work of those women who once stayed and were inspired by where we now call home and learn more about more modern Scottish female authors too.”

For more information, please visit https://edinburgh.intercontinental.com/offers/

‘Home of Hogmanay’ seeks producers for Capital’s Winter Festivals

Underbelly no more?

Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2021 announcement

• Council seeks producers for Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, with tender documents published
• Contract term for initial period of three years

Contract notices for both Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay festivals from 2022-2025 have been published on the Public Contracts Scotland website.

The specifications were devised in response to the findings of a major independent survey into the future of Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals conducted last year.

Overall, results of the 12-week consultation showed a wish to continue to provide high quality Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations but that they must be valued by residents and visitors.

The tender responses will be used to draw up a shortlist for further consideration, with the Council hoping to have a producing partner in place by the summer.

For both events and in line with the consultation responses received, the council is seeking a producer to:

Continue to provide high quality Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations which will be valued by residents and visitors, and continue to enhance Edinburgh’s reputation
Extend celebrations to other parts of the city
Deliver and evidence the environmental sustainability of the winter festivals, including through the local sourcing of products and minimising use of greenspace
Improve access for those previously less able to participate, including through physical accessibility, the design of activities for those with a range of needs, and for people on lower incomes and from deprived areas
Focus on making the celebrations family friendly
Maximise engagement with small and independent businesses to establish local market growth, including giving priority to existing and new local businesses and creatives

Also in response to the public’s feedback, the successful producer of Edinburgh’s Christmas will be required to minimise any use of greenspaces, introduce alcohol-free times and/or areas within Christmas celebrations, avoid overcrowding and improve access by distributing celebrations more widely throughout the city centre.

For Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, producers are being asked to deliver the traditional and favoured aspects of the festival, including a significant ‘midnight moment’ including for example fireworks, drones, lighting or any other significant intervention.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Through our citywide conversation with residents, businesses and stakeholders last year, it was clear that there was overwhelming support for the continuation of Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations in the Capital, but with a revised format.

“More than 8,600 people and 35 organisations responded to the survey, with 87% expressing support for a Christmas celebration and 86% for Hogmanay.

“I’m confident that by acting on residents’ feedback, we can remain the home of Hogmanay and ensure our Christmas events, enjoyed by so many across the City, continue in a way that balances residents’ needs and aspirations for how they should look and feel in future.”

Council Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Our Winter Festivals are internationally renowned and, from our conversation with the city, we were pleased that the majority wanted the Capital to keep its place on the world map for Christmas celebrations and as home of Hogmanay.

“As well as contributing to the wellbeing of our residents, our Winter Festivals deliver real economic impact, benefitting tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors in particular.

“With these new contracts, we want to continue to provide inclusive high-quality festive celebrations, further enhance the city’s reputation and allow the benefits to be shared across our town centres and communities.”

Intelligent management system unveiled at Edinburgh Bus Station

A new, state-of-the-art bus station management system has been officially unveiled at Edinburgh Bus Station, transforming the passenger experience for those travelling to and from Scotland’s Capital.

The management platform is one of the most advanced in the UK and features real-time arrival and departure information on intelligent display screens throughout the station, along with live updates on disruption, delays and events.

Upgrades include larger displays for people with visual impairments, which connect via Bluetooth to the RNIB React smart device app to read out departures, and multiple languages on some screens. Interactive ‘wayfinding’ signage has been installed to help users plan their onward journeys, with routes, travel updates and tourist information.

On Tuesday, Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes was given a tour of the improvements at the station, where more than 9000 bus and coach services pass through every month, departing to destinations across Scotland and the UK.

Councillor Macinnes said: “There is no doubt the new management system at Edinburgh Bus Station will transform the experience for anyone travelling through it. Not only is journey information much clearer and more accessible, but upgrades will really help people making onward trips around Edinburgh.

“It’s really fascinating to see the difference the improvements are making behind the scenes, managing the bus station more effectively, supporting safer departures and monitoring performance.

“By delivering a truly integrated, efficient service, these changes make travel by bus an attractive choice, which is central to our net zero target.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “The use of new technology is helping to manage the bus station more easily and effectively. This means more accurate and more available information for passengers, including the automatic notification of any delays and incidents.

“We hope projects like this will give more passengers and visitors the confidence to choose travel by bus.”

The new management system also features a bus reversing facility, helping to manage departures from the station more effectively and safely, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to automatically log the arrival and departure of every bus in the station.

At the centre of the platform is a Content Management System (CMS) combining live bus location data with scheduled information to provide accurate real time passenger information. This is distributed to displays inside and outside the station, as well as to Traveline Scotland, neighbouring local authorities, bus operators and local business parks.

Work to upgrade the city’s on-street 400 real time passenger information signs at bus stops, including the addition of more signs, will also begin this year, as part of the same contract. The main contractor delivering the improvements is Journeo.

Find out more about Edinburgh Bus Station on the Council website.

IWD: YOTEL offer local charities free space in Edinburgh city centre

YOTEL Edinburgh are opening their doors to local charities and non-profits this year for International Women’s Day by offering free working space for six months to a nominated group.

Providing a fresh, engaging space to collaborate, advance their work and provide inspiration and resources, YOTEL Edinburgh are joining this year’s #BreaktheBias theme for International Women’s Day.

As an added extra, the city-centre hotel will offer the founder or leader of the organisation a complimentary overnight stay for two, as a small thank you for all of their work in the hotel’s local community.

A UK wide initiative, YOTEL are asking communities across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and London to nominate local organisations doing incredible work for or with women, offering one full day (subject to availability, 9am – 5pm) per month for groups to use however they wish – whether it’s a small non-profit working from home who need a meeting room, a group looking for an inspirational new working space or a local branch of a national charity hosting workshops, YOTEL will make them feel right at home.

To nominate a charity or non-profit in Edinburgh head to YOTEL Edinburgh’s social channels. Simply tag the organisation in the comments or share the post on your story and tag your chosen charity.

Entries will close 21 March 2022, before being whittled down to a shortlist of five organisations to be spotlighted on YOTEL Edinburgh’s social media channels across the month of April, offering support and exposure to the local groups.

The nominated organisation can kick off their free six months of working space from April 2022 – September 2022 with one day per month available.

In Edinburgh’s New Town YOTEL, the nominated group will win the use of a flexible private meeting room, enjoying the hotel’s buzzing city-centre location, just a 5-minute walk from Princes Street, as they collaborate on their group’s inspiring ideas for up to 10 people.

Sahrette Saayman , VP Communications at YOTEL said: “We’re excited to open the doors to YOTELs across the UK and collaborate with our local communities for International Women’s Day in 2022.

“We know there’s some inspirational work happening right on our doorsteps and we’re excited to lend a hand, whichever way we can.

“We also hope this campaign will help our local communities discover some incredible new non-profits or charities to support, and shine a light on the outstanding work they are doing across Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester.”

Aiming to give back to their local communities, YOTEL are throwing open their doors and collaborating with female-focussed charities and non-profits in 2022, offering an inspiring space to work, collaboration and perhaps a much needed break.

Hoping to provide the organisations with room to grow in a welcoming environment, YOTEL Edinburgh are keen to hear from local groups about the ways in which they’d use the spaces.

To learn more about YOTEL Edinburgh follow @yotel.edinburgh or visit the website now.

Ts&Cs: Space to be booked in advance on a monthly basis, subject to availability.

Cooking up a storm!

Gordon Ramsay to open new restaurant at St James Quarter

Gordon Ramsay Street Burger will be opening its first Scottish based restaurant in a flagship location at St James Quarter

St James Quarter confirms another meaty arrival with Gordon Ramsay Street Burger set to open its first restaurant in Scotland.

Gordon Ramsay Street Burger will open within the Ribbon building at levels 4 and 5 of St James Quarter, opposite the Everyman Cinema which opens its doors in April this year.

The Gordon Ramsay team will elevate its concept for the Edinburgh branch, bringing a games lounge, DJ booth and stunning interiors designed by internationally acclaimed Russell Sage Studio.

The news follows the recent announcement of the March opening of Ka Pao, an East Asian restaurant from Glasgow that was presented a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin guide, a prize awarded to outlets offering exceptional quality cuisine at accessible prices.

Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, commented: “It’s been a big week for St James Quarter with a number of iconic brands confirmed to be joining the family.

“We are delighted that Gordon Ramsay has chosen a flagship space within The Quarter for Street Burger’s Scottish debut. Edinburgh is clearly a city close to his heart and we think our guests will be wowed by what he and his team have got planned for the space.”

St James Quarter has gone from strength to strength since opening in June 2021, and offers an impressive and growing list of names at the retail led destination, which includes & Other Stories, Mango, Zara, REISS, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Miele, Next, H&M, JD Sports, John Lewis and many more.

Employment surge at Surgeons Quarter as it focuses on recovery

A MAJOR conference and events business is reporting that 2022 is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels – and looks to expand its headcount by 70%.

In a positive sign for Edinburgh’s crucial hospitality and business tourism sectors, Surgeons Quarter – the commercial arm of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) – has experienced demand for in-person meetings and events well ahead of pre-pandemic levels.

The Living Wage-accredited organisation which manages a vast mix of historic and purpose-built RCSEd venues, as well as Ten Hill Place Hotel, Café 1505 and Surgeons Quarter Travel – has seen events and conferences that postponed due to the pandemic rebook their events for 2022 as well as a high level of new enquiries.

This trend which has included new bookings for major conferences such as the Functional Regulatory Genomic Disease Meeting, a conference which will bring together international leaders in the study of genetics of disease in April 2022, has led to Surgeons Quarter returning to operate at close to maximum levels.

As a result, Surgeons Quarter is set to recruit for 60-70 positions during April, May and June.

Scott Mitchell, Managing Director of Surgeons Quarter, said: “It’s a pleasure to be in a position to expand our hospitality teams again and add vital jobs to help us service the increasing levels of business we’re bringing in.

“It’s important that we get the recovery right – hospitality and the business tourism economy are integral to the city’s overall prosperity. We can see first-hand the direct effect it has on employment.

“In addition to our busy events calendar, Ten Hill Place Hotel is seeing encouraging occupancy levels predicted to exceed the pre pandemic levels.

“To further boost our activities in 2022, we are actively planning for the full return of the Festival Fringe for which we are one of the largest operators – and at the end of the year, we are looking forward to a busy festive period of celebration, which we have all missed in the past 18 months”.

The organisation also launched its first TV advertising campaign on 25^th February with the theme highlighting guests will be ‘In Good Hands’ as a reference to its surgical connections and charitable aims which should help further raise its profile.

During the first lockdown Ten Hill Place provided free rooms and meals to key workers tackling the pandemic. Over 2,100 rooms were supplied free of charge at a cost to the company of over £100,000.

Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.

For anyone interested in joining the dynamic and award-winning Surgeons Quarter team, please email recruiment@surgeonsquarter.com

For more information on events, conferences and meeting space at Surgeons Quarter visit: https://www.surgeonsquarter.com/conferences-meetings/

International guests can book directly by visiting Surgeons Quarter’s own travel agency at: https://www.sqtravel.co.uk/

Edinburgh to ask for new powers to control short term lets

Councillors will be asked to approve a proposal to designate the City of Edinburgh Council area as a short term let (STL) control area at the Planning Committee next week (February 23).

The proposal follows a consultation with the public as well as industry bodies and if Committee agree it means the local authority will submit a request to the Scottish Government requesting that the new powers are implemented in the whole of the Edinburgh area.

If Government agrees with this approach, and the new legislation is implemented in the city, it would require residential property owners wholly letting a property which is not their principle home as an STL in the local authority area, to apply for a ‘change of use’ to a STL from Planning.

The majority of all respondents in the consultation were in favour of this approach (88%) supporting the principle of the designation of a STL control area and for the entire area to be included (85%).

Around a third of STLs in Scotland are in Edinburgh. At the moment, in addition to planning applications made for STLs, to establish whether or not planning permission is required for properties where this is disputed, the Council’s enforcement team looks at each case individually, which is a very lengthy and time consuming process.

The introduction of powers to make a control area follows the Council calling for new legislation to tighten up the control of STLs to help manage high concentrations of secondary letting where it affects the availability of residential housing or the character of a neighbourhood.

Also, it will help to restrict or prevent STLs in places or types of buildings where they are not appropriate as well as making sure homes are used to best effect in their areas.

Generally renting out a room/s in your house or letting your property whilst on holiday would also still be allowed if Edinburgh became a STL control area.

The Scottish Parliament has approved legislation which will introduce a new licensing scheme, which the Council also called for, which will come into effect later this year. It will address the issues of safety, anti-social behaviour and noise. These issues have all had a detrimental effect on communities as the number of STLs has greatly increased across the city in recent years.

Councillor Neil Gardiner Planning Convener said: “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in our consultation. We worked hard calling for new legislation to help us have greater controls over STLs as we know they are an issue for many of our residents across the city. So it was great to see so many people from all different neighbourhoods taking part.

“This report highlights the growing pressures of the STL commercial market, which requires a cross-city approach to regulations. With high concentrations in central areas, there are commercial STLs in every council ward in this city.

“In some areas STLs have hollowed out communities, put more pressure on the housing market causing prices to rise, and created other issues such as anti-social behaviour and noise.”

Councillor Maureen Child Planning Vice-Convener said: “I’m delighted we’ve now got to a stage of this legislation potentially being implemented.

“If approved by committee and government, these new powers for Edinburgh will greatly complement the new licensing legislation just announced, which we also called for, as you’ll need evidence you have the right planning consent in place for your property as part of the criteria when obtaining a licence.”

Johnnie Walker Princes Street offers free portraits under iconic Binns clock

Johnnie Walker Princes Street, the eight floor visitor attraction in the heart of Scotland’s capital city, is offering couples a picture perfect moment this Valentine’s Day, with free portraits under the iconic Binns Clock from 5-7pm on Monday (14^th February).

A favourite romantic meeting point in the city for decades, the clock is credited by countless couples as the place where it all started for them. Now, after being lovingly restored prior to the opening of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, any couple booking a Journey of Flavour tour on Monday 14February can get snapped for free.

The 90-minute immersive experience takes guests through a multi-sensory story of whisky, Scotland and flavour, and is topped off with three personalised drinks.

Here’s how to take part:

Attend Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s Journey of Flavour Tour on Monday 14 February 2022.
Attend the ground floor retail store and produce your ticket / e-ticket to a member of staff.
Slots are available on a first come first served basis from 5pm until 7pm.
Data protection forms must be signed to take part.

Rob Maxwell, Head of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said: “We’re no strangers to hosting couples at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. We’ve been told we make a great location for a date, whether it’s a first or even one hundred and first.

“The Journey of Flavour has proven popular with those looking for romance, and given how iconic the Binns Clock is in the Edinburgh dating scene, we thought we’d offer something a little special to guests who book the experience this Valentine’s Day.”

The Journey of Flavour is just one of many ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Johnnie Walker Princes Street. Specially designed sharing platters are also available for couples to while away the hours with gorgeous views over Edinburgh in the stunning rooftop 1820 Bar.

The ground floor retail store has countless gift ideas to suit all tastes and budgets, and the personalisation station will offer free engraving on all purchases over £65 for compatible bottles until 14 February. Popular options include Johnnie Walker Red Label gift sets and Johnnie Walker 18-Year-Old gift sets.

Book your Journey of Flavour tour here: https://bit.ly/3oGrAVn

Police appeal following assault outside Balmoral Hotel

Police are appealing for information following a serious assault in the city centre.

Around 1.20am, on Sunday (6 February, 2022), a 39-year-old man was walking past the Balmoral Hotel in Princes Street when he was approached by man who was part of a group of people waiting at a nearby taxi rank.

An altercation took place which resulted in the 39-year-old sustaining an injury to his face. The victim attended the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and was released following treatment.

The suspect is in his mid-30s, bald and was wearing dark coloured clothing. He ran off over North Bridge towards the High Street following the incident.

Officers are reviewing any relevant CCTV images for any additional information on the incident or the suspect.

Detective Constable Gary Lipscombe from Gayfield CID said: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident. We know the assault was seen by a large number of people who were waiting in a taxi queue and I am asking these people to contact us.

“Your information could important Also, if anyone has any recorded footage from either dash cams or personal devices, please check it as it could provide us with vital details which would assist us in identifying whoever is responsible.”

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland through 101, quoting incident number 354 of 6 February, 2022. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where you can give your information anonymously.”

Ivy on the Square celebrates the Six Nations Championship

This spring, The Ivy on the Square is proud to be celebrating the Six Nations Championship with an array of limited-edition cocktails. With the first games taking place in 1883, the Six Nations has spanned over three centuries, making it one of the most-loved events in the sporting calendar.

Created by the restaurant’s talented bar team, each cocktail represents one of the six nations taking part in the championship. Delicious creations include the Scotts on the Rocks (top), (£9.75) featuring Plymouth gin, Chivas 12 year, ginger juice, lemon juice and clear honey, The Emerald Isle, (£9.75) consisting of Jameson, Lillet Rouge, Cointreau, lime juice, and a dash of whiskey barrel bitters (above).

Then there’s The G.O.A.T, (£9.50) a mix of Plymouth gin, Plymouth sloe gin, lemon juice and lavender syrup, garnished with a lavender sprig,

Le Coqs, (£12.75) which includes, Beefeater gin, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, sugar syrup and topped with The Ivy Champagne,

English Rose, (£9.75) featuring Beefeater gin, Pimm’s and Elderflower cordial, topped with Fever Tree lemonade and garnished with a mint sprig, and finally the Zesty Italian, (£10.95) a tantalising mix of Malfy Aranciata gin, Barolo Chinato, Campari and a dash of whisky barrel bitters.

Agata Lubera, General Manager at The Ivy on the Square, comments: “Now that the Six Nations has officially kicked off, we’re excited for Scotland’s patriotic fans to come together and join us in the heart of the city centre.

“We hope the latest additions to our already extensive cocktail menu will go down a treat as we honour this historical sporting event. We look forward to welcoming guests from all over the world to enjoy the atmosphere the games bring to Edinburgh.”

The Six Nations Championship cocktails are available at The Ivy on the Square from Saturday, 5 February to Saturday, 19 March.

To book a table, visit TheIvyEdinburgh.com